The Strong Communities Planning Grant Program is intended to support local governments in planning for sustainable growth and development patterns and affordable housing into the future. This program provides planning grants to help communities align policies and regulations to locate affordable housing in infill locations near jobs, transit, and everyday services; ensure new neighborhoods have housing of all types, sizes, and price points; and direct housing to areas with access to multimodal transportation options.
What you need to know:
- Applicants can be any Colorado municipality or county
- Funds can be used to support the adoption of land use codes and policies that support sustainable development patterns and affordable housing
- When paired with strategy adoption, funding may also cover:
- Housing needs assessments or similar studies
- Administrative expenses, including staffing
- Water and/or energy conservation planning
- 10% required match
- Suggested maximum award is $200,000
- All funds must be spent by October 2026.
Who Should Apply
Eligible entities include municipalities, counties, and city/counties.
Funding Available
Funding rounds for the Strong Communities Program are closed and final funding decisions are underway. Visit DOLA's Funding Opportunities page for additional funding sources.
Resources
The Planning Grant Program expects that communities that are awarded a grant will adopt one or more of the strategies from our list of land use best practices. Go to the Land Use Best Practices page for a list of the practices, as well as webinars, instructional videos, and case studies.
Review the documents below for additional information.
- Strong Communities Planning Grant Program Guidelines
- Strong Communities Planning Grant Program FAQs
- Strong Communities Planning Grant Application Template
- Strong Communities Planning Grant Budget Template
- Strong Communities Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Guide
- Land Use Best Practices resources
Program Contacts
Lisa Loranger
Program Manager
303.565.6200
lisa.loranger@state.co.us
Moira Blake
Program Assistant
720.417.5696
moira.blake@state.co.us